Ministers look at windfarm plan to use Chinese turbines

Ministers are weighing up proposals for a Chinese company to supply wind turbines for a major offshore windfarm.

- Eleni Courea

The government is in talks with Green Volt North Sea over whether Mingyang, China's biggest offshore wind company, should supply the turbines. Mingyang has emerged as the preferred manufacturer, but the firm has sought advice from ministers on whether to proceed.

Green Volt, which is jointly owned by Flotation Energy, a Scottish company, and Vårgrønn, from Norway, is constructing the first commercial-scale floating offshore windfarm in Europe. The project will deliver electricity to oil and gas platforms, replacing power generated by gas and diesel turbines, and provide electricity to the UK grid.

The decision over whether to source its turbines from Mingyang will be closely scrutinised after the government stepped in to take control of British Steel amid claims that its Chinese owner, Jingye Group, wanted to shut down its Scunthorpe plant to make the UK a dumping ground for Chinese steel.